Sourdough Pretzels Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Are sourdough pretzels a healthy snack? ›

Sourdough pretzels are a healthy snack because they include all the health benefits found in sourdough bread. Plus, they are baked, not fried, but still give you the crunch you crave from a satisfying snack. Sourdough pretzels also contain fewer calories and less fat and sugar than other snacks.

A common question - you will find that your soft sourdough pretzels will be too dense if they are not proofed adequately or you've used flour that is too high in protein. Before boiling, they should be lovely and puffy. They should look like little twisted pillows of dough.

Sourdough Pretzel FAQ:

Yes, most definitely. They are the perfect salty snack. Since the dough is fermented, the vitamins and minerals are more bio-available for your body to absorb, and there is less gluten making them easier to digest.

The answer lies in a brief dip in an alkaline water bath before baking. This bath essentially gelatinizes the outside of the pretzel, preventing it from fully “springing” during baking (as bread does) and giving pretzels their signature chewy crust. It also gives them their unique and indelible “pretzel” flavor.

The Winner: Popcorn!

Popcorn triumphed over pretzels for a number of reasons, as Joyce Hendley originally reported for EatingWell. Whole Grain: First, popcorn is 100-percent whole grain. Most Americans don't get enough whole grains, and they provide a healthy boost of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.

Pretzels don't have many downsides as an occasional snack. Soft pretzels and flavored pretzels are usually higher in calories, salt, sugar, and fat than hard pretzels, so you may want to limit your intake of those varieties.

Keeping the lid on for the first part of baking allows steam to expand between the gluten fibers to rise the bread and create a fluffy loaf. Step 4: Remove the lid and bake for an additional 12-14 minutes or until the crust is crispy and golden brown. Once you take the lid off, the bread likely won't rise anymore.

The best flour blend for creating a new sourdough starter is 50% whole-meal flour (whole wheat or whole rye) and 50% bread flour or all-purpose flour. I recommend a 50/50 mix of whole wheat flour and bread flour.

Although the beneficial microbes in the starter tend to be lost during the baking process, the fibre and plant compounds, called polyphenols, become more bio-available. These act as an important fuel source for our gut microbes, which explains why sourdough is a gut-friendly choice.

The pretzels are best the day they are baked—and sublime still warm from the oven—but will keep quite well for up to 2 days. Enjoy warm with butter, mustard, and beer, of course.

Is sourdough bread inflammatory? ›

The best bread to reduce gut inflammation is bread made from whole grains. Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet.

All those pretzels are made and twisted on the spot.

Auntie Anne's definitely doesn't serve pre-made pretzels! Every location receives shipments of the signature flour mixture, which is put in a mixer along with water and yeast. They're baked, brushed with real butter, salted and served right there.

Egg Wash – The egg wash on the pretzels gives them a little shine, and I find it softens the exterior a bit. For a more traditional taste, omit the egg wash and just use salt when the pretzels come out of the water bath.

Like lye, baking soda is an alkaline substance, and when mixed with water and brushed over the pretzel dough, it changes the pH of the dough and gelates the surface starch. In the oven, the starch gel hardens and the alkaline baking soda makes browning happen fast.

Sourdough has made a comeback—and for good reason. It provides nutrients, including healthy carbs, protein, fiber, iron and vitamins like folic acid. It may help improve digestion, lower chronic disease risk and even promote healthy aging.

Utz Sourdough Hard Pretzels (1 pretzel) contains 18g total carbs, 17g net carbs, 0g fat, 2g protein, and 90 calories.